The matter deserved special attention in the final declaration of the meeting of foreign ministers of both regions, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, in Buenos Aires. The document forecasts the creation of bi-regional mechanisms for the exchange of experience and cooperation in the area.
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Relations between the Arab and South American countries have progressed since the summit between both regions, in 2005, but they may still grow. This was one of the themes of the meeting of Foreign Ministers of both regions, which began yesterday, in Buenos Aires. Cooperation in the area of energy and joint efforts for peace in Palestine were among the pleas.
Both countries signed a document establishing mechanisms for political consultation. In practice, the governments of Brazil and Palestine should promote periodic meetings to discuss themes of common interest. The agreement was signed yesterday during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Brazil, Celso Amorim, to Ramallah as part of his tour of the Middle East.
Next week, on February 20 and 21, the Foreign Ministers of Arab and South American countries should meet in the Argentine capital. They are going to discuss plans for joint action between both regions, as well as preparing the next summit, to take place in Qatar this year.
The president of Brazil sent the invitation to several Arab leaders through Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, who is currently touring the Middle East. The president of Syria, Bashar Al-Assad, has already agreed to visit Brazil and the king of Jordan, Abdullah II, with whom Amorim met yesterday, stated he hopes to be able to visit the country.
The minister of Foreign Relations of Brazil, Celso Amorim, was received by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz Al-Saud over the weekend and by Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad, yesterday. The Brazilian minister is currently on a tour of the Middle East. With the Saudi monarch, agreements and partnerships were negotiated. The meeting with Al-Assad had as its main theme the peace process in the Middle East.
Egypt is going to start implementing a pilot social program in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Cairo, Ain El Sira. Part of the project will be inspired on social activities promoted by the government of Brazil. Representatives of the Ministry of Social Development were in the Arab country to present the Brazilian experience.
The Brazilian Foreign Minister should be in the region starting tomorrow and should visit Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Israel. The objective, according to the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty), is to strengthen the Brazilian presence in the economic and diplomatic areas. Meetings are scheduled with heads of state and government.
This year the tariffs on industrial products traded between the Arab country and the European Union have been eliminated. The elimination of tariffs on agricultural products and services is also being negotiated. According to the ambassador of Tunisia to Brazilian capital Brasília, Seifeddine Cherif, these advances may benefit Brazilian exports. The association treaty was enacted 12 years ago.
Brazilian directors at the Ministry of Social Development and Hunger Alleviation are in the Arab country to participate in a workshop, to begin in Cairo today. The plan is to aid the government of Egypt in the elaboration of an income transfer program similar to the Brazilian Bolsa Família (Family Purse).
Agência Brasil* Brasília – Brazil may receive a new group of Palestinian refugees in 2008. The statement was made by the president at the National Committee for Refugees (Conare), Luiz Paulo Barreto, who asserted that one of the lines of work of the committee will consist of evaluating the integration of the 108 Palestinians that
